Good For Something
by milkywaymidnight
Summary: AU-TROTK. Pippin's always liked having someone to protect him. Gandalf's always liked doing the protecting. Now the Wizard knew keeping his precious Fool of a Took from getting himself killed was what he was really brought back to do. Pairing: eventual Gandalf/Pippin
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Good For Something

**Summary:** AU-The Return of the King. Pippin's always liked having someone to protect him. Gandalf's always liked doing the protecting. And now the Wizard knew keeping his precious Fool of a Took from getting himself killed was what he was really brought back to do.

**Warnings:** Slash, possibly underage sexual content, nothing too graphic though mind you, hurt/comfort, and violence

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. The characters belong to J.R.R Tolkien. I'm just having fun with them.

**Pairing:** Eventual Gandalf/Peregrin Took

**A/N:** I've really been getting into this adorable pairing lately, but sadly it's really hard to find anything for it. So, I decided to give it a go.

**Chapter wordcount:** 1,309

**Chapter One:**The Palantir

"FOOL OF A TOOK!" Gandalf yelled, covering the palantir with the blanket once again, then he spun around to chastise the fool some more, but his heart plummeted at seeing the small Hobbit laying limply and deathly pale on the ground. Fear gripped his heart, painfully so, and he thought that they might lose him. A wave of guilt suddenly over came him for being so cruel to the Halfling, who's only crime has been to be too inquisitive for his own good.

"NO!" his muttered cry echoed in the chamber as he ran over to the fallen helpless lovely creature.

'_Wait! Peregrin lovely? Now where in Valor's name had that thought come from?'_

He shook his head, filing that impossible thought away to try and figure out later. He pushed Merry more roughly than he intended to out of the way, but he was too worried for Peregrin to care at the moment. He knelt down in front of him, and reached for one of his too limp hands for his liking, and gripped it tightly in both of his. He searched desperately for a pulse, it was there, but weakening fast, and he held on tight, urging the little one to live. He was quite shocked at himself to realize that to the contrary of wanting to be rid of the Fool's stupidity that he'd be completely lost without him.

At least Pippin kept them on their toes.

_'I'm so sorry! For being so cruel to you. I promise to treat you better. The way you deserve to be treated, if you'll only come back to us, Peregrin Took. Please! We need you. Frodo needs you. I need you!' _he pleaded silently, feeling tears threatening to fall, but he managed to push them back. He then reaching down to caress his hair, and cheek, before cupping that pleasantly soft cheek in his palm, willing him to live.

Suddenly, Pippin gasped loudly, his eyes flying open, and was trying to catch his breath. He gently turned the Hobbit's head, so that their eyes met, and Gandalf suddenly found himself drowning in the deep depths of those adorable green eyes of his.

_'Oh, no! Not now! It can't be!'_

He was not falling for Peregrin Took. He was not! He couldn't possibly! It was wrong on so many levels.

"Gandalf?" Peregrin asked, as if not believing that he was really there, and alive, and was struggling to keep his eyes open. The poor thing must exhausted. The Wizard was suddenly overcome with the desire to protect this precious Hobbit, and never let him out of his sight again, but that would be uncharacteristic of him. Besides, he knew that his suddenly more than friendly feeling for the Halfling was only one sided on his part, so what would be the point.

Not wanting to raise their friends suspicions, he turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

"What did you see?" Peregrin was having trouble focusing, and wanted to let the little sleep, but he had to know. Frodo and Sam's lives may very well depend on it. "SPEAK!"

That got Peregrin's attention, and he forced himself to meet the Wizard's eyes again, and answered fearfully, "A tree. There was a white tree...it was dead. The city was burning!"

"Minis Tirith? Is that what you saw?" He was getting out of it again, and Gandalf had to shake him to get him to stay awake.

"I...I saw him! I heard his voice inside my head. He asked me my name, I didn't answer. He hurt me!"

**scene skip**

_He hurt me!_

That one sentence spoken in such a fearful way haunted Gandalf's mind, and he couldn't think of anything else. After questioning Pippin some more, he finally allowed the little one to rest some, before they spoke with King Thaedon to discus the matter. Merry was with him now, offering his comfort to his younger cousin. And what Gandalf wanted more than anything, was to take the Brandybuck's place.

As if reading his mind, the older Hobbit looked up at him from Pippin's sleeping beauty form on the small bed, and tried to give him a small smile to try and comfort him, but couldn't, obviously.

"Why don't you sit with him for awhile, Gandalf? I'm sure he'd like to know that you care enough about him to watch over him." Gandalf heard a little bitterness in Merry's tone, but he couldn't fault him for that after the way he's treated his cousin and practically best friend in the past and recently too. Merry was surprising brave enough to give him 'You better do it or I'll hurt you somehow' glare, before getting up to leave the room, leaving him no time for objecting.

He also knew Merry could be very tricky when he put his mind to it and that he was more than capable of following through on that threat he saw in his eyes. He didn't ever want to cross him. He has a fierce, but caring mind that one.

Gandalf watched him go, wondering where he was off to. He couldn't help but admire the lad all the more. Just standing up to him alone, knowing the kind of power a Wizard has, won him points where he's concerned. Smiling briefly at the little, but slightly taller for Hobbit retreating back, he set his staff aside, then sat down in the chair Merry had recently occupied, taking his place by Pippin's bedside.

He looked down at the still sleeping Peregrin Took, who was frowning, and moaning painfully, and he knew the evil of Sauron was still haunting his dreams. Unable to stop himself, he reached out to stroke the brown curls away from his forehead, and pressed his palm against his forehead, trying to push Sauron out of his still too fragile mind, so Pippin could finally rest peacefully.

Once he knew the evil was gone from Pippin's mind, he withdrew his hand, and caressed his cheek again with the back of his fingers. He finally knew the real reason why he was brought back. Not to just to complete his task, but to protect and love this helpless and oh so precious being, even if the little one would never love him in return.

"Sleep peacefully now, Peregrin Took. You're quite safe with me looking after you from now on." With that whispered promise, the Wizard pulled back his hand, and leaned back heavily against the chair, trying to get comfortable.

Unknown to the Wizard, Merry Brandybuck saw and heard everything he just did from the still slightly opened doorway. He wanted to make sure that Gandalf didn't leave Pippin all alone and would go back in to be with his baby cousin if the Wizard did so. And he was quite stunned what had been revealed.

He had suspected that after the Palantir incident that Gandalf felt guilty for treating Pippin the way he had been, and wanted to look after him as way of apologizing, What he didn't expect was the love and longing he saw in those blue eyes of his as gazed lovingly down at their little trouble maker, or to hear Gandalf's promise. It was practically an admission of love as far as he was concerned.

He silently gave them his blessing, before closing the door, and going to find something else to do, since he was no longer needed here.

_'I wonder if Princess Eowyn needs some company?'_ he wondered hopefully, a small grin spreading across his face.

If he couldn't be with Pippin, she was the next best thing.

**TBC**

I would love to know what you all think so far! Any feedback would be much appreciated!


	2. Leaving Rohan

**Chapter wordcount:** 1,132

**Chapter Two:** Leaving Rohan

Some hours later, Pippin was being nudged awake, and he tried to bat the offending hand away. He just wanted to sleep and enjoy the rare peace he found these days awhile longer, but the calloused, strong, yet gentle hand was persistant, and he thought he heard a light chuckle that sounded familiar.

"As much the sight of you sleeping peacefully now relieves me, Peregrin Took. I must insist that you wake up now. We have to meet with King Theodon in less the ten twenty minutes," the voice he now recognized as Gandalf's insisted. He sighed, forcing his eyes to open, and his breath caught in his throat at the rare worry look he saw in those big blue eyes.

"Gandalf?" The Hobbit asked, trying to sit up, but he felt so weak, and light headed, and he fell back down. He shut his eyes tight, trying to push away the nausea that suddenly overwhelmed him. His eyes widened in surprise when he felt Gandalf help him sit up. It was all coming back to him: Touching the Palantir, Sauron invading his mind, wanting the ring, thinking he has it, then Gandalf came to the rescue, pushing the evil one away, and the most shocking of all, Gandalf's, relieved, concerned and caring eyes peering down at him when he finally managed to escape Sauron's hold.

"Yes, I'm here young one. And I'll always be from now on."

"Why? You don't particularly like me after all. As I recall, you once practically said to me that you wanted to be rid of me and my stupidity." Gandalf's current behavior was confusing him. The Wizard had never fussed over him so before now.

Gandalf sighed, and if Pippin didn't know any better he could've sworn he saw shame in his companion's blue eyes, as he looked down at the floor.

"I know. And I can not ask you for your forgiveness enough for being so harsh with you, nor do I expect it. But I want to apologize none the less for the awful way I've treated you in the past, Peregrin Took. And I hope to make up for it if you let me. I was out of line. A fool you may have been, but I see now who was the bigger fool."

Pippin was near tears and had to raise his hand for Gandalf to stop apologizing. He felt guilty for snapping at the Wizard enough all ready. It was obvious now that Gandalf cares about him. He wouldn't be sitting here with him, nearly running late for meeting with King Theoden himself if he didn't. He had more important things to worry about than a rather helpless being like himself now didn't he.

Pippin was blown away once again, when Gandalf captured his waving hand in own, and twined their fingers together, holding on tight. He lifted his eyes to see Gandalf gazing down at him with...hope? And something else he couldn't quite identify. If he thought the Wizard was mysterious before, he was practically itching to discover his secrets now.

"I hate to interrupt," a voice from the doorway called, breaking the spell. Pippin snapped his hand back, trying to fight back the blush he knew must be visible on his cheeks. He looked up, and saw Gimli staring with concern at him, and continued, "But Aragorn sent me to fetch you two. The meetings about to begin."

Pippin nodded, letting the Wizard help him off the bed, he nearly slid to the floor had Gandalf not been there to catch him, and help him steady him to his feet. He thought he saw Gimli wink at him from the doorway, before the Dwarf disappeared and he was left alone with the Wizard once again. He had to lean against Gandalf's side for support, as the Wizard helped him walk to the meeting place.

He still couldn't help but wonder why Gandalf was being so nice to him all of the sudden, but was determined to find out why. And he will eventually. He was a Took after all. He had reputation to uphold.

Meanwhile, Gimli was waiting for his two companions to catch up to him the hall, eyeing the still too pale and sickly looking Hobbit for liking with concern, and looked up at the Wizard with questioning gaze as they came closer.

Gandalf smiled down at him and Gimli couldn't tell if it was fake or not, which always frustrated him.

"He'll be fine, Gimli. Lead on," Gandalf said, and Gimli couldn't help but notice how he clutched at the little one protectively. He must admit to being somewhat taken back by the Wizard's sudden protectiveness of the Halfling, since Gandalf the Grey obviously couldn't stand poor thing.

_'This Gandalf must of realized he was in love with the Hobbit all along,' _he came to the conclusion. He was a Dwarf after all. And Dwarves were known for their perceptiveness. He couldn't help but grin at having his earlier suspicions about those two confirmed, and then smiled fondly down the little one. Perhaps the Wizard wouldn't be so grumpy anymore now that he's found someone to love, and who Gimli suspects also loves him in return.

"I am pleased to hear that," he said, giving the young one's shoulder a relieved squeeze. "We all are little Hobbit." With that declared the Dwarf spun around before either one of them could see the broad grin spreading on his face.

He wished them both the best and hoped one of them would confess to the other soon, and spare them all anymore grief then than they already had.

**time skip**

After saying his farewells to Aragorn, Gimly, and Legolas, and an even longer-tearful one to Merry. (He didn't want to leave Merry because Merry was always there to protect him. Who would protect him now?) Pippin followed Gandalf to the horse stables, and to Shadowfax.

"How far to Minis Tirith?" he asked as Gandalf lifted him up on the horse, securing him in.

"Three days ride. Don't worry, Peregrin. I won't let anything happen to you," the Wizard promised, reaching up to give his hand a comforting squeeze, before mounting Shadowfax himself, and clutched him against his chest. He couldn't help but smile as Gandalf ordered Shadowfax to go.

_'Perhaps I won't be as unprotected as I thought.'_

Not that he wasn't going to miss Merry terribly, but at least this way he could get to know the Wizard better, and find out what Gandalf was keeping secret from him.

He needed to.

**TBC**

Feedback is lovely and much appreciated!


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